CULINARY HERBS 69 



the ground must he kept loose, open and clean. When 

 the plants meet in the rows cultivation may stop. 



First gatherings of foliage should begin by mid- 

 summer when the plants start to blossom. Then 

 they may be cut to within a few inches of the 

 ground. The stumps should develop a second and 

 even a third crop if care is exercised to keep the 

 surface clean and open. A little dressing of quickly 

 available fertilizer applied at this time is helpful. 

 For seed some of the best plants should be left un- 

 cut. The seed should ripen by mid-autumn. 



For winter use plants may be transplanted from 

 the garden, or seedlings may be started in Septem- 

 ber. The seeds should be sown two to the inch 

 and the seedlings transplanted to pots or boxes. A 

 handy pot is the 4-inch standard; this is large 

 enough for one plant. In flats the plants should be 

 5 or 6 inches apart each way. 



Uses. — Basil is one of the most popular herbs in 

 the French cuisine. It is especially relished in mock 

 turtle soup, which, when correctly made, derives its 

 peculiar taste chiefly from the clovelike flavor of 

 basil. In other highly seasoned dishes, such as 

 stews and dressings, basil is also highly prized. It is 

 less used in salads. A golden yellow essential oil, 

 which reddens with age, is extracted from the leaves, 

 for uses in perfumery more than in the kitchen. 



The original and famous Fetter Lane sausages, 

 formerly popular with Cockney epicures, owed their 

 reputation mainly to basil. During the reigns of 

 Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth farmers grew 



